Phil Maneri’s
BASS
LAB
This Article Was Originally Published On: December 15, 2015 #Issue 17.
Fodera makes amazing instruments. They operate at the highest level of the industry. This version of the Yin Yang bass features a yellow wood (pau amarillo) top covering a walnut body blank. Like the Yin Yang Standard, this bass is loaded with an EMG P/J set tied to a Mike Pope preamp. Hardware is the typical Fodera bridge and Gotoh-style keys.
Construction is flawless. Fit and finish of every detail is perfect. Design is good looking, interesting and very Fodera. Sounds great, plays well. Compared to the alder body version, this one is warmer, with a more diffuse low end and less midrange, whereas the other is brighter, tighter and has much more midrange presence.
The issue we had with this bass is that the neck was back-bowed with no truss rod tension. You could not dial in relief without stringing up with a heavier-tension set of strings or pulling the truss rod and flipping it over. Thankfully, when you take neck off of the bass, the truss rod can be pulled out and flipped over 180deg. Once the truss rod is slid back in, it can be adjusted just where you need it. Not as convenient as a typical 2-way rod, but very effective.
I prefer the alder version to this one; its punch and clarity are much more player-friendly. This walnut version sounds bigger in the low end, but also more diffuse, with less punch. This instrument delivers very high quality for the discerning musician.
Fodera Yin Yang
Standard Series II
CONFIGURATION
| Strings: | 4 |
| Style: | Double cutaway |
| Overall Length: | 45 1/4" |
| Body Dimension: | 20" long x 12 1/2" wide at lower bout |
| Body Contouring: | Moderate |
| Weight: | 10 lbs |
MEASUREMENTS
| Scale length: | 34” |
| Neck width at nut: | 1.528” |
| Neck width at 12th fret: | 2.164" |
| Neck width at joint: | 2.386" |
| Neck thickness at nut: | 1.069" |
| Neck thickness at 1st fret: | .922" |
| Neck thickness at 12th fret: | .939" |
| Neck thickness at joint: | 1.038" |
| String spacing at nut: | .415" |
| String spacing at saddle: | .769" |
| Fingerboard radius: | 0-20” compound |
| Descriptor for neck shape: | wide D |
| Peghead break angle: | 9 deg |
| Bridge break angle: | 14 deg |
| Afterlength at nut: | 2.780” to 4.801" |
| Afterlength at saddle: | 1.51" |
| Attachment: | Bolt-on |
| Pocket gap: | None |
| Truss rod type/access: | Single-acting (reversible) / body end |
| Fret count: | 24 |
| Fretwire: | 100x40 |
ELECTRONICS
| Pickups: | EMJ P/J |
| Pickup location(s), from 12th fret: | 11 ¾”, 14 5/8” |
| Electronics: | Mike Pope |
| Controls: | tacked volume / passive tone, pickup blend, stacked bass / treble, mids; switche for active/passive mode |
| Shielding: | Copper foil |
| Preamp circuit voltage: | 18v |
CONSTRUCTION
| Body Woods: | Walnut, with yellowheart (pau amarillo) top (partially paint black)ed |
| Neck Woods | Quarter-sawn hard rock maple |
| Fingerboard: | Ebony |
| Body Finish: | Hand-rubbed satin acrylic lacquer |
| Neck Finish: | Hand-rubbed satin acrylic lacquer |
HARDWARE
| Strings: | Fodera Nickel Ultra Lights (round core) |
| Gauge: | .040, .055, .075, .095 |
| Attachment: | At bridge |
| Bridge/color: | Proprietary / black |
| Nut: | Brass |
| Tuners/color: | Sealed / black |
| Knobs/color: | Metal / black |
| Pickguard: | n/a |
| Control cavity cover: | Black anodized, brushed aluminum |
GENERAL
| Company: | Fodera Guitars 68 34th Street, 3rd Floor Brooklyn, NY 11232 Tel: 718-832-3455 Fax: 718-832-3458 www.fodera.com |
| County of origin: | USA |
| Warranty: | 5 years on woodwork, 1 year on electronics |
| Price: | $5,050 |
| Accessories: | Hard shell case, allen keys, truss rod puller |
| Available colors: | Natural |
| Available Options: | Gold hardware ($150) |
| Acquired from: | Fodera Guitars |
| Dates: | Winter/Spring 2015 |
| Locals: | Ohio |
| Test gear: | Markbass F500, Mesa/Boogie Titan V-12, AudioKinesis Hathor 1203, Bergantino HD212, Fodera E5S, MTD 535 |
TEST RESULTS
1-5 (unacceptable to impeccable)
In-hand
| Features: | 5 |
| Tonal Flexibility: | 5 |
| Ease of Use: | 5 |
| Aesthetics: | 5 |
| Ergonomics: | 5 |
| Tone: | 5 |
| Value: | 5 |
In-hand Score
5.00average
On-bench Score
5.00average
On-bench
| Overall construction | 5 |
| Wood choice | 5 |
| Materials choice | 5 |
| Joinery | 5 |
| Fretwork | 5 |
| Fit and Finish of adornments | 5 |
| Quality of finish work | 5 |
| Ease of repair | 5 |
| Potential range of setup | 5 |
| Balance on knee | 5 |
| Balance on strap | 5 |
| Overall electronic quality | 5 |
| Solder joints, wire runs | 5 |
| Clarity | 5 |
| Noise | 5 |
| Shielding | 5 |
| Quality for Price Range | 5 |
